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County: No casino referendum

By BRIAN LEAHY
of The Gazette
County officials have no plans to hold a countywide advisory referendum about allowing the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwa tribe to open a casino and hotel/convention center in Portage County.

"I'm a true believer Plover will tell us if it's good or bad," County Board Chairman Clarence Hintz said during Tuesday's County Board meeting. "It's in their municipality and they will let us know."

The Lac du Flambeau tribe has entered into talks with the village of Plover and Portage County officials on building a casino and hotel/convention center complex. The casino would have 2,500 slot machines and 40 to 60 blackjack tables, roughly three times the size of the tribe's Lake of the Torches Casino on its reservation.

District 8 Supervisor Carole Holmes said her constituents want a countywide resolution. District 14 Supervisor James Gifford asked if it would be possible to have a straw poll during the September primary election, but Hintz said the county would be unable to get ballots out to all county municipalities between now and then.

When village of Plover voters go to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 12, they'll get their say in an advisory referendum question that asks: "Should the Village Board support a resolution inviting a hotel, convention center and casino complex to the village of Plover?"

Both the county and municipality need to have resolutions inviting the casino, before the Lac du Flambeau tribe can forward its request to the governor's office and state Division of Gaming. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs must also approve the casino agreement.

The Plover Village Board will then vote on approval Wednesday, Sept. 13. Hintz plans to hold a special County Board meeting Thursday, Sept. 14, for the county to make its decision.

Like the Plover Village Board and the general public, the County Board is divided on the casino issue.

"I think this project is going too fast," said District 12 Supervisor William Peterson. "If this goes through, it's going to devastate Portage County."

Peterson said Portage County has enough money in its budget right now without needing to get more money from a casino agreement.

"We've got a great place to live and I'd hate to see it go downhill," Peterson said.

The complex has a taxable investment of $50 million to $100 million, with the hotel and convention center being taxable properties, and the gaming facility being located on sovereign property that is tax exempt, according to the Lac du Flambeau proposal to Portage County. The tribe would agree to a payment in lieu of taxes to all taxing jurisdictions based on the improved value of the gaming facility and associated parking lot.

For comparison, Lands' End has made an $11 million investment in the county with a potential expansion to $30 million.

Portage County and the village of Plover could receive between $260,000 and $520,000 each in tax revenue from the Lac du Flambeau project, said Portage County Planning and Zoning Director Charles Kell. The facility would also generate sales tax revenue for the county and hotel/motel room tax revenue for the village.

Lac du Flambeau officials have also agreed to make an annual payment of $4 million for 20 years to the county and village. The agreement would be renegotiated after 20 years.

Hintz suggested the county split the $4 million kitty 50-50 with the village.

The convention center would put the county into the first tier of convention centers in Wisconsin, allowing it to compete for conventions that have been going to Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay, Kell said. The spin off trade from the convention/hotel portion of the facility could be between $13 and $17 million to other businesses in the county.

Some other impacts, like police costs, social costs, problem gambling, alcoholism and divorce, can't be pinned down, Kell said.

"There's going to be that element. There's no doubt about that," Kell said.
Kell suggested County Board supervisors look at gambling impact studies and draw their own conclusions.

In other business before the County Board, supervisors agreed to purchase 79 acres of land from Leonard Jisko in the town of Carson for a clay borrow site for clay to be used at the proposed future Portage County site. The $72,800 used to buy the land will come from landfill tipping fees. The purchase option was about to run out. District 27 Supervisor and county Solid Waste Management Board member James Krems said a decision will be made during the next 60 days on whether to haul solid waste out of the county or build a new landfill, but without the clay borrow site, the county's hands would be tied.

Supervisors also voted to pay $80 in dog claims to Victor Hanneman for 16 chickens destroyed on May 1.



	County: No casino referendum By BRIAN LEAHY of The Gazette County officials have no plans to hold a countywide advisory referendum about allowing the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwa tribe to open a casino and hotel/convention center in Portage County. "I'm a true believer Plover will tell us if it's good or bad," County Board Chairman Clarence Hintz said during Tuesday's County Board meeting. "It's in their municipality and they will let us know." The Lac du Flambeau tribe has entered into talks with the village of Plover and Portage County officials on building a casino and hotel/convention center complex. The casino would have 2,500 slot machines and 40 to 60 blackjack tables, roughly three times the size of the tribe's Lake of the Torches Casino on its reservation. District 8 Supervisor Carole Holmes said her constituents want a countywide resolution. District 14 Supervisor James Gifford asked if it would be possible to have a straw poll during the September primary election, but Hintz said the county would be unable to get ballots out to all county municipalities between now and then. When village of Plover voters go to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 12, they'll get their say in an advisory referendum question that asks: "Should the Village Board support a resolution inviting a hotel, convention center and casino complex to the village of Plover?" Both the county and municipality need to have resolutions inviting the casino, before the Lac du Flambeau tribe can forward its request to the governor's office and state Division of Gaming. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs must also approve the casino agreement. The Plover Village Board will then vote on approval Wednesday, Sept. 13. Hintz plans to hold a special County Board meeting Thursday, Sept. 14, for the county to make its decision. Like the Plover Village Board and the general public, the County Board is divided on the casino issue. "I think this project is going too fast," said District 12 Supervisor William Peterson. "If this goes through, it's going to devastate Portage County." Peterson said Portage County has enough money in its budget right now without needing to get more money from a casino agreement. "We've got a great place to live and I'd hate to see it go downhill," Peterson said. The complex has a taxable investment of $50 million to $100 million, with the hotel and convention center being taxable properties, and the gaming facility being located on sovereign property that is tax exempt, according to the Lac du Flambeau proposal to Portage County. The tribe would agree to a payment in lieu of taxes to all taxing jurisdictions based on the improved value of the gaming facility and associated parking lot. For comparison, Lands' End has made an $11 million investment in the county with a potential expansion to $30 million. Portage County and the village of Plover could receive between $260,000 and $520,000 each in tax revenue from the Lac du Flambeau project, said Portage County Planning and Zoning Director Charles Kell. The facility would also generate sales tax revenue for the county and hotel/motel room tax revenue for the village. Lac du Flambeau officials have also agreed to make an annual payment of $4 million for 20 years to the county and village. The agreement would be renegotiated after 20 years. Hintz suggested the county split the $4 million kitty 50-50 with the village. The convention center would put the county into the first tier of convention centers in Wisconsin, allowing it to compete for conventions that have been going to Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay, Kell said. The spin off trade from the convention/hotel portion of the facility could be between $13 and $17 million to other businesses in the county. Some other impacts, like police costs, social costs, problem gambling, alcoholism and divorce, can't be pinned down, Kell said. "There's going to be that element. There's no doubt about that," Kell said. Kell suggested County Board supervisors look at gambling impact studies and draw their own conclusions. In other business before the County Board, supervisors agreed to purchase 79 acres of land from Leonard Jisko in the town of Carson for a clay borrow site for clay to be used at the proposed future Portage County site. The $72,800 used to buy the land will come from landfill tipping fees. The purchase option was about to run out. District 27 Supervisor and county Solid Waste Management Board member James Krems said a decision will be made during the next 60 days on whether to haul solid waste out of the county or build a new landfill, but without the clay borrow site, the county's hands would be tied. Supervisors also voted to pay $80 in dog claims to Victor Hanneman for 16 chickens destroyed on May 1.